The Makings Of Evil
by Thankfulpolaroid
Summary: Harley Quinn is a show stopper at Haly's Circus, and Jerome? The 'weird' kid. What happens when these two meet? Harley bites off more than she can chew when Jerome enters her life. So, here lays the revamped origin story of, 'Harley Quinn'. Jerome/Harley (Not a love story) (Warning inside)
1. Chapter 1

' _ **The Makings Of Evil', is a heavily triggered book. There will be abuse, manipulation and sexual abuse. This is a dark book, and not meant for the fair of heart. This is a Harley/Jerome book, but as we know it's a one sided "love" story.**_

 _ **Please, feel free to leave reviews, and message me with questions and I will get back to you as soon as possible.**_

 _ **This is also featuring a Gotham based Harley Quinn so her story has changed. Her story will be mentioned and brought attention to within the story so do not fret! You will not be left in the dark.**_

 _ **This starts out before the circus hits Gotham, and before Jerome kills his mother.**_

Jerome Veleska was an 18 year old boy, often found within his mother's trailer tending to new wounds or, counting the money he made of tips from making jokes and making people laugh. Usually his jokes here looked down upon. His jokes consisted of death and chaos and only a select few actually laughed. One of the people who laughed -in a nervous way- was Harley Quinn. Those these two never really interacted.

Harley Quinn was an easily likeable girl, with her blonde hair that always seemed to be up in long pigtails and her red and black ballerina leotard and tutu, and her ballerina slippers. She had been in the circus since she was seven years old. Only a select few people knew the reason why she was in the circus; that reason being because of an abusive father, and a dead mother from it. Harley had run away with the circus. After that night she never talked about. She never talked about when she was 'Harleen Quinzel'.

Harley made a small name for herself, since that event. Years of practice and learning from the acrobatic 'Flying Grayson' family. Harley landed herself as one of the main events, she being a tightrope walker and a contortionist of sorts. She was what people would called 'The Amazing Harlequin'. Now that she was 17 she had fans all over the globe, a fanbase of sort.

It was just after the show in Chicago, when Harley found herself standing outside the main event test, watching as Jerome was doing his 'comedic' act. She wore her costume still, her hands held in front of her hands and her finger intertwined.

"A grandson runs up to his grandfather and asks him if he can talk like a frog," Jerome started licking his lips, his mouth twitching into a smile. His eyes flashed to Harley before they once again scanned the crowd. " "Of course not," says the grandfather." Jerome used a funny voice as he spoke as though speaking as the 'Grandfather'. "A few minutes later, his granddaughter asks him the same question." Jerome made a shocked look and crossed his arms over his chest, slumping some. " "No, of course not. Why are you both asking me this?" The grandfather replies," Jerome tilted his head once again speaking in as though he was the grandfather, he looked at the kids with a smirk. "The kids then said, "Dad said that when you croak, we can go to Disneyland." " Jerome Finished the joke, some parents grabbed their kids by the shoulders and began walking them away.

Harley covered her mouth and giggled quietly. That one wasn't as morbid as most of his jokes, but it certainly was funny to her. She looked down as people looked at her, she raised her eyebrows in an amused way. A few people threw money into Jerome's 'bucket 'o' mooola', there was a few chuckles from the crowd. Jerome gave a very theatrical bow, in the direction of those who were actually appreciative of his jokes, then without further ado, turned and spanked his bottom to the ones that were walking away.

Harley widened her eyes at that. She wasn't expecting that. As people began leaving Harley stayed. "That was a good one." She chirped. Jerome paused and stopped what he was doing. He wasn't use to Harley actually staying and talking to him afterwards, he stopped smacking his bottom and turned around looking at her.

"Well, it's nice to be appreciated." He said looking as though he was sinking back into his shell. Harley knew this was an act, after all, her stage life was also a giant act. Behind the scenes she was kind of shy, maybe a little mellow, though at times her theatrical side came out. Jerome outside of his 'act', he seemed to be very introverted.

Harley raised her eyebrow and held out her hand. "The names Harley, Harley Quinn." She introduced herself. Jerome tilted his head and took her hand cautiously.

"I know?" He said slowly, of course he knew her name, she was one of the main acts, "The names, Jerome Veleska." He said and watched her shake his hand with a pleased smile, he bit his lip and took his hand back, he bent down and picked up his bucket of change and stood up to full height.

Harley let her hand fall to her side and she smiled brightly at Jerome. "Pleased ta' meetchya!" She giggled. The term, 'The circus is the only family you need.' may be true, but most people hardly knew one another names. Besides, the main event people, everyone knew who they were.

Jerome furrowed his eyebrows at her and nodded slowly. He was a little awkward around women, and that had everything to do with his mother's constant abuse. He was sure everyone in the circus knew, yet they did nothing. He didn't know what this girl was expecting from him, it made him curious as to why she suddenly chose today to talk to him. "Did someone pay you to talk to me?" He said in a dull voice as he began walking towards his and his mother's trailer. It wouldn't be the first time, someone had paid a woman to talk to him. For reasons that included robbing him blind.

Harley gasped at him and laughed following after him. "No!" She exclaimed reaching up and releasing her hair from the two pigtails allowing her blonde hair to fall down her back. "I thought your joke was funny is that wrong?" She said, her voice picking up a slight attitude. Harley was known for being happy one second, to losing her cool. Jerome gave her an unreadable look. "Anyways, I see you every night telling your jokes, and I never talk to you. It's been ten years of me being here and we've talked…?" Harley bobbed her head back and forth, as she gave mock thought. She snapped her head to look at him. "Right! None!" She said and shook her head.

"I'm use to ulterior motives, Doll." Jerome said cooly side glancing at her. He didn't appreciate her attitude. He didn't like being talked to by anyone at this cheaply run circus. Harley huffed.

"Well, I don't have ulterior motives, Jerome." She said slowly and shook her head. She ran a hand through her hair, something she would do when she was getting frustrated or stressed, this time being because this red headed ass hole was frustrating. "I was only trying to be nice." She snapped.

Jerome groaned and shook his head. He stopped his walking and turned around side stepping so he's be in front of her. "Listen to me, _Harley_." Jerome began, her name coming out like venom off his tongue. "There's not room for _**kindness**_ in this world," He nodded and dropped the bucket, he reached up and grabbed her cheeks cupping them roughly, Harley grabbed his wrists in a nervous way. Her icy blue eyes widening to the size of saucers. "There's no kind people, this is all some glorious facade you, _my dear,_ are hiding behind to stay away from your own personal issues." He nodded. Harley shoved his hands off her face roughly, and they both stood close to each other Jerome smiling smugly down at her, and she glaring up at him.

"I know that, Gingivitis." Harley said coldly. "And I know exactly what I did, and it was what I had to do." She said up at him. Jerome rolled his eyes into the back of his head dramatically so only the whites of his eyes could be seen before looking at her and tilting his head. "And I know from your situation...that if you could escape, if you had somewhere to go.. You would do it too." She said slowly, finally sympathy showed in her eyes. "We're similar you and I." She said.

Jerome let his eyebrows shoot up. "Don't know what you're talking about." he said and flashed his pearly whites in a smile, grabbing his bucket and turning and walking once more. Harley stared at where he had once been in her face. Her cheeks heated up with anger and she forced a smile on her face as she hurriedly walked after him.

"I'm not stupid." Harley spat as she was once again walking beside him. Jerome rolled his head on his shoulders.

"Coulda' fooled me." He said raising his eyebrows, a small slow smile falling upon his features, as he saw just how worked up he was making the young blonde. Maybe, she was amusing. She seemed to get worked up so quickly. Harley clinched her fists tightly. "I like you." He decided.

"You're an asshole." Harley said her face deadpanning. Her footsteps stopping as she watched him continue his way down to his trailer. Her face slowly flipped into a smile. "You know that though!" she yelled out to him and laughed.

Jerome gave a smirk as he kept walking, looking over his shoulder at her. He did know he could be an asshole. Hell, he was an asshole most of the time. He turned his head forward once more. He kept walking, his eyebrows knitting together. That was strange.

Jerome shook his head as he made it to his and his mother's trailer, looking at the snake, Sheba on his way in. He closed the door behind him, looking with a dull bored look as his mother was topping a man, a bottle of beer to his lips. He set the bucket down. "There ya go, ma." he said blandly. "Goooo crazy." He mumbled. He turned and laid on the couch avoiding eye contact and avoiding the direction his mother was fucking a drunken clown.

Jerome was taken by surprise as his mother threw her bottle at him, the bottle hitting his hand as he had tried to block it out of impulse. He hissed a curse to himself as he grabbed his hand and held it tightly, looking up as his mother -which mind you, only wore a bra and knickers-, who looked down at him with a scowl.

"Is it time for, 'beat up, Jerome'?" He growled, as his mother brought a fist down on his face, the clown from before moving quickly to sit on Jerome's legs. Jerome groaned as he felt blood pour from his nose. His mother must have drank a lot because she didn't show up to her performance. He tried to kick his legs, it was no use with the clown sitting on them. Of course, he was use to this, that's why he wasn't screaming for help. It's the reason he knew, to just take the beating he was dealt and not to make a sound. Eventually, Lila Veleska -his mother- would grow bored.

"You're so disrespectful!" Lila hissed grabbing his cheeks roughly, and moving to sit on his chest. Jerome was disgusted with her, she reeked of alcohol and sex.

Jerome chuckled in a dark manner. "Says the _**whore.**_ " He hissed through his teeth. Lila let go of his face and brought her hand down on his face in a harsh slap.

This went on for at least thirty moments, until Jerome had passed out from a few hard blows to the head. He didn't know what to do about this woman. How he hated her, that he'd pray she'd one day just not come back. During his beating his mind wandered to what Harley meant, by 'escape'. How could he 'escape' this situation..Harley had been right, he couldn't leave, had nowhere to go. What a _**bitch**_ , for telling him that. He was honest though. When he told Harley he liked her..He did like Harley, he didn't know why, maybe it was her attitude.

Harley sat within her own trailer, her window open and cigarette between her red lips, one of her hands ghosting over her right cheek her top half of her body was outside the window. There was a small growing bruise from where Jerome had grabbed her cheeks. Harley pulled the cigarette from her lips and pursed her lips as she tossed it out the window. No one had laid a hand on her like that since her father. Harley brought the top half of her body back inside and she closed the window locking it.

' _Well, fuck him. Lays a hand on me! How dare he?'_ Harley thought to herself as she walked over to her small bed. She had changed into her pajamas, her ducky slippers on her feet. She plopped down on the bed. Her hand once again taking her cheek. His words filled her head. His small ' **I like you.'** playing over and over again in her head. Why did she like him saying that? Maybe it was the fact she had never been with a guy before? That she had been single her whole time being at the circus?

But he got rough? He literally grabbed her cheeks, and talked down to her like she was filth. She didn't like that part. 'He is an asshole.' Harley reminded herself. ' _And he knows it…'_ Harley turned on her side. He was rather charming. He needed a friend too, right? After all, with what he's going through...he looks as though he could use a friend.

As harley was falling asleep, she decided to take Jerome Valeska's ' **I like you.'** as an invitation to keep on coming back to him.

 **Thank you for reading my friends~ Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

' _ **The Makings Of Evil', is a heavily triggered book. There will be abuse, manipulation and sexual abuse. This is a dark book, and not meant for the fair of heart. This is a Harley/Jerome book, but as we know it's a one sided "love" story.**_

 _ **Please, feel free to leave reviews, and message me with questions and I will get back to you as soon as possible.**_

 _ **This is also featuring a Gotham based Harley Quinn so her story has changed. Her story will be mentioned and brought attention to within the story so do not fret! You will not be left in the dark.**_

 _ **This starts out before the circus hits Gotham, and before Jerome kills his mother.**_

Everyday some members of the circus would gather at the food tent and have breakfast. It wasn't much, porridge and whatever they could muster up from the night before. Oatmeal, and toast; was Harley's choosing of breakfast food. She held her tray tightly in her hand stepping out of line. She wore a blue short sleeved dress that fell above her knee, and her black ballerina flats, her hair in a pony tail. Harley looked around the food tent slowly, seeing that her usual table was occupied by people with a hangover. Then she saw him, the boy she would usually never glance at, the boy she only watched tell jokes, the boy that caused her to have a small bruise on her cheek. Jerome. He was sitting at a table alone.

Jerome did sit at a table alone, that was usually how he liked it, people often spoke about how 'he gave them the heebie jeebies'. Maybe, that's exactly what Jerome wanted. Being left alone. He sat with a bowl of porridge, oftentimes side glancing people. He adorned new bruises on his face, his eye was a dark black color, and there was a bruise over his jaw, and on his hand was a bruise from when he tried to dodge the bottle his mother threw at him. He looked up as suddenly Harley sat in front of him, with her oatmeal and toast.

"When did I say this was okay?" Jerome said blandly, his eyebrow cocking up as took a bite of his porridge. He swallowed his food. "Oh, that's right I didn't." He said with a sarcastic laugh. Harley gave a roll of her eyes as she stirred her oatmeal. He looked at her cheek for a brief second. Huh, why was he filled with some sort of satisfaction at the fact he knew he hurt her? He didn't know why, and he wasn't bothered by it.

"When you uttered the words. 'Harley you are single handedly the best person here'." Harley said throwing him a grin, Jerome rolled his eyes at her and gave her a face. "Or something along those lines." She said and looked over his face. "Who-" Jerome interrupted her.

"If we're going to do," He looked around and pointed at her and then himself before dropping his hand. "Whatever this is, you're not going to ask about this," He gestured to his face and pursed his lips and tilted his head "Because, _Sweet Cheeks_ , you already know." He said coldly. Harley looked down, and nodded and sighed softly. SHe was only trying to get him to say it, so she didn't have to make accusations. Then she looked up suddenly.

"So, we're friends then? You said we're going 'to do this'." Harley grinned at him, her head tilted. Jerome watched her face and eyes light up like a christmas tree. He took a spoon full of his food and bit into it with a nodd his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Jerome swallowed his food and smirked as he watched the girl go back to eating her food. He didn't understand why she was hell bent on being his friend. His eyes found it's way make to the bruise on her right cheek. Why did that feel good? He hadn't even realized he had grabbed her that hard.

Harley looked back up. "I was thinking since we leave, tonight we could walk around Chicago, see what it has to offer for us, 'circus freaks.'," Harley smiled and Jerome raised his eyebrows. "You wanna come?" She asked with a grin. Jerome heaved a sigh.

"Oh jeez, I thought you'd never ask." He said sarcastically, and watch her grow into an annoyed look before smirking. She was so reactive to everything he said or did. "Sure, why not, Doll?" He said and pushed his food aside. It was rarely he ate, and when he did it was little bits at a time. Harley grinned at him as she took a bite into her toast and giggling.

* * *

Jerome wore his black button up jacket, a pair of dark jeans and sneakers, a red sweater under his jacket. He leaned against Harley's trailer his arms crossed over his chest, his hair was slicked back. He was already regretting this decision to go out. Jerome wasn't one to leave the circus often. He preferred staying with these idiotic assholes, than the other assholes outside the circus gate.

Harley stepped out of her trailer, her black cardigan on now so she wouldn't get gold. Her hands into the pockets of her dress and she pulled out a pack of cigarettes, placing one of them into her mouth. Jerome looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Those are gonna kill ya'." Jerome stated blandly as he walked, Harley walking beside him lighting her cigarette, and pulling the cig from her mouth exhaling the fumes.

"Maybe that's the point." Harley smirked, she looked up at him. "Why do we do anything that's dangerous for us?" Harley said and linked her free arm with Jerome's. Jerome looked down at their arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "Because the thrill of our impending doom." She smiled playfully. Jerome reached with his other hand and took her cigarette.

"Well, in that case.." He said placing the cig between his lips and inhaling deeply, pulling the cigarette out and coughing and shaking his head as he exhaled the fumed. Harley laughed some and took her cig back and placed it in her mouth in haling and exhaling with ease, then blowing the smoke in his face. Jerome shook his head again. "Yeah, I don't think smoking isn't really for me." He muttered

Harley shrugged. "It's an aquired taste I suppose." She muttered as they walked through the circus gates, Jerome looking around as if seeing the outside for the first time. Which in reality, he never really did leave the circus grounds. He had never been permitted to leave. He was almost certain he should have asked his mother's permission first...then again he didn't really care.

"You don't talk much do you?" Harley asked tossing her cigarette down and stepping on it as they walked. Jerome scoffed.

"Ever thought maybe, you just talk to much?" He muttered, Harley glared up at him, her lips pursing. "Because you do."

"Fuck you." Harley said in a huff, She peered up at him, looking at Jerome's smug smile. She noticed for a moment that he seemed to like making her react to the things he said or do. SHe narrowed her eyes and walked forward. "Reaction whore." She said to him a smile tugging at her lips.

"You're just so easy to make angry." Jerome said in a giddy way. ' _And scared..'_ He thought to himself, remembering when he grabbed her cheeks, the way her blue eyes looked at him wide eyed and terrified. For some reason it made him giddy, it gave him some sort of sick thrill. To see her scared, by him.

"I guess I have a temper." Harley said with a smirk. "My emotions are very heightened." She rolled her eyes. She was always made easily emotional, and she felt things she felt them hard. crushes, were bigger, when she liked someone she liked them hard. A person once described it as a 'yandere' type love, but, she didn't know what that meant and never bothered to look it up. She was easily made jealous, her heart would clench with rage when another person was with her friends or people she had crushes on.

"Lucky me." Jerome said with a sarcastic, "I got an emotional one!" He exclaimed in fake excitement, looking down at her with a mock grin. Harley's face grew red with anger, or maybe it was embarrassment that he was teasing her for that. Either way, Jerome liked seeing her that way.

Harley stayed silent as they made it to a park, she grinned and started pulling him towards a trail. "Can you try not being an ass for ten minutes?" Harley asked, She had a smile on her lips, and Jerome sighed some and nodded.

"Depends." He said casually, as he looked around the trail, seeing some squirrels. Suddenly he stopped walking yanking Harley to a halt. He moved out of the way as a boy on a bike was coming through, and then another. The two boys looking at the two, casually before one boy stopped.

"Ralph! It's that tight rope walker from the circus last night!" The boy spoke to his friend who turned his bike around and rode back stopping by his friend. 'Ralph' narrowed his eyes and tilted his head before smirking.

"And it's that freak who tells the shitty jokes, Jeff." Ralph said to his buddy, Ralph beginning to circle the two on the trail, still riding his bike. Jerome pursed his lips giving a huff.

"Ha ha, real nice guys." Jerome said as he grabbed Harley's arm and began walking. Jeff -the other boy- blocked their path. Jerome narrowed his eyes.

Harley glared, a nervousness filling in her gut as these boy were watching them. "Excuse us, we have places to-"

"Shut up , Freak." Ralph snapped. Harley seemed to sink slightly, she gave a startled yelp as the man grabbed her hair and yanked her out of Jerome's grasp and onto the dirt path. Jeff hopped off his bike and grabbed Jerome as he turned around.

Jerome felt every inch of him fill with rage as he was grabbed by the boy. He watched Harley grab her head and go to sit up, Ralph got off his bike and dropped it on the ground, picking up some rocks. Jerome knew what was coming, he tried yanking himself from the boy's grip.

Harley looked at looked at Jerome, and then Jeff. "Let him go!" She gave a scream as a rock connected with her shoulder, she grabbed her shoulder and tried to get up. She felt herself grow anger, and she had tears well in her eyes.

Ralph laughed as he saw Harley's eyes fill with tears, Ralph then looked to Jerome. He smirked in a smug manner before beginning to throw rocks at Jerome.

"Shouldn't have left the circus, freaks!" He yelled at them in a disgusted manner. He threw a rock that hit Jerome in the side of the head causing him to give a groan and laughed.

"Is that the best you got?" Jerome spat looking at the boy with insanity brimming in his eyes. Harley watched him before pulling herself off the ground. She threw herself at Ralph, trying to pull the rocks from his hands. Jerome watched her with wide eyes.

Ralph growled and dropped the rocks grabbing Harley by her neck and shoving her into a nearby tree, all while still holding her neck. Harley gave strangled noises. "Get off me!" She forced out, Ralph's free hand went up her dress. Harley grabbed at his face trying to push him off. Jerome growled. He could see Harley's face growing read from lack of oxygen.

Jerome brought his head back and head butted Jeff. Jeff let go off him grabbing his nose and falling back, Jerome lept into action grabbing Ralph by his hair and pulling him back, instinctively Ralph let go of Harley who sunk to the ground holding her bruised neck trying to catch her breath.

Jerome laughed some as Ralph tried to fight back. "What's wrong?" He said yanking the boy backward and turning his head roughly. There was an instinctive snap. Jerome paused, he hadn't meant...Oh, but it was too late the boy was unmoving. The corner of Jerome's mouth twitched into a smile. Of course, he had to act like he did nothing as he banged the boy's head into a tree. He looked at Jeff, who was holding his broken nose. He reached down and grabbed Ralph's bike.

Jerome felt as though his heart was racing out of his chest. He was grinning from ear to ear as he got on Ralph's bike. He just killed a man. He just killed that boy. He didn't know how he was supposed to feel, but he knew he shouldn't have been smiling. Oh, but this was...this was exhilarating. The way he just, snapped that boys neck. He looked at Harley. "What are you waiting for? For that them to come to and rape you? Come on, idiot!" He snapped at Harley. Harley flinched and got up holding her neck, she climbed onto the handle bars. She held a rock in her hand tightly, and she turned looking over at Jeff, who was staring at his friend in horror as he tried to wake him up.

Harley brought her fist holding the rock up and she threw it roughly, the rock bouncing off the boy's head, and made him go limp as the rock knocked him out. Harley grinned and laughed holding onto the handlebars tightly as Jerome sped off back towards the circus on the bike.

Jerome began laughing some, madly laughing as he looked up at Harley who looked down at him laughing slowly as well. They were laughing for two different reasons. Harley looked forward. Harley was laughing because that was a close one, and Jerome had saved her..Jerome was laughing because it felt amazing to **kill** that boy. How easy it had been. He hadn't even meant to do it he just pulled to roughly..

Jerome and Harley laughed almost the whole way back to the circus only stopping tas they looked down at each other. Jerome still peddling the bike down the sidewalk. He looked up at her, a cheshire like grin plastered on his face, and she looked down at him with a small soft grin. She slowly looked away a small blush forming on her cheeks. Jerome looked head through her arms as he peddled towards the circus, occasionally his gaze going to the new fingerprints on her from when he grabbed her.

There it was again, that satisfaction of knowing he hurt her. Jerome looked at it a small smirk coming to his features. Maybe Jerome liked hurting her because he thought that was the way to show affection? He didn't know what real affection was. No one had ever shown him, and how he saw men treat his mother his whole life, maybe it was normal. Jerome's gave lifted to the side of Harley's neck, looking at the bruise forming. Then anger bubbled inside him. He decided at that moment, that only he was allowed to cause her pain.


	3. Chapter 3

**'** **The Makings Of Evil', is a heavily triggered book. There will be abuse, manipulation and sexual abuse. This is a dark book, and not meant for the fair of heart. This is a Harley/Jerome book, but as we know it's a one sided "love" story. Please, feel free to leave reviews, and message me with questions and I will get back to you as soon as is also featuring a Gotham based Harley Quinn so her story has changed. Her story will be mentioned and brought attention to within the story so do not fret! You will not be left in the starts out before the circus hits Gotham, and before Jerome kills his mother.**

 **Summary: Harley Quinn is a show stopper at Haly's Circus, and Jerome? The 'weird' kid. What happens when these two meet? Harley bites off more than she can chew when Jerome enters her life. So, here lays the revamped origin story of, 'Harley Quinn'. Jerome/Harley (Not a love story)**

With the events of the park behind Harley and Jerome, they both went their separate ways, Harley to clean herself up, and Jerome. He went back off to the scene of the deadman, though he did not share that with Harley.

Harley was looking over herself in her mirror, she pulled her hair up into a messy bun, and looked over the bruises on her neck. 'If it wasn't for Jerome...I'd be dead.' Harley thought to herself. She had almost gone by herself. Harley closed her eyes and hugged herself, remembering the boy that dared stuck his hand up her dress. She opened her eyes and gave a shaky sigh. "Thank god he was there." She whispered to herself. Her eyes fell to the bruise on her cheek and then the one on her arm.

Ever since meeting Jerome she was getting new bruises every day. They were surely accidents though right? The arm, was because he was trying to get her away from those mean boys, and the cheek? Harley furrowed her brow moving to sit on her bed. "Accident." She reassured herself. He didn't look as though he meant to hurt her. Maybe he just didn't know his own strength.

Harley shook her head and chuckled. She always thought and dwelled to often on her thoughts. Then her chuckle turned bitter sounding as she let her mind wander to the past.

" _Harleen!" A burly looking man yelled from the living room, he wore a tanktop that was grease filled, and jeans, his belt in his hands as he looked down at his seven year old daughter that stood with her little sister behind her legs. Harleen knew why she was being yelled at._

 _Harleen had went to the school and tried telling her teacher what her father did to her and her sister. The abuse. The abuse that ranged from cigarette burns on their frail bodies, to bruises from being so 'clumsy'. She just wanted the pain to end. She wanted it to be over, she wanted her father to be sent away._

" _D-daddy, I'm sorry-" Harleen stopped as she gave a yelp as her father stroke the belt down on her shoulder. Haylee -her five year old sister- gave a scream and fell back in fear as Harleen took another blow from the belt, this time the belt coming down on her head, leaving her on the ground trying to pull herself up. Her father dropped the belt and pulled Harley up by her hair. Harley gave a cry her small hands grabbing at her hair, she looked to her sister. "Go to your room!" She yelled. Haylee ran off her little feet running as fast as they could._

" _Why do you lie to your school, Harleen?" her father growled down at her. Harleen shook her head. "You make daddy, look bad." He snapped and drug Harleen into the kitchen and picked her up, he was strong enough to hold her with one arm, holding her to his chest his arm wrapped around her torso tightly._

" _I'm not lying!" She screamed. "You're bad! I hate you!" Harleen cried giving a sob. She only hoped this one wouldn't hurt as bad as the last punishment. Her small frail body broke into shivers, from her own fear. Her father growled and stopped in front of the oven, he turned on the stove top, watching as the burner turned red showing it was heating up. Harleen widened her eyes when she realized what was happening._

 _One of her father's large hands took her small ones, and laid it on the burner. Harley bit her lip, and gave whimpers. "Are you done lying, Harleen?" He growled. Harley started having tears fall down her face as the burner got hotter and hotter. "Harleen!" He snapped. Harley gave a scream finally, the pain beginning to be too much._

" _I'm sorry! I'm a liar! I'm sorry!" Harley cried and nodded her body shaking with sobs at the pain in her hands. Her father dropped her suddenly, Harley falling to the ground and holding her hand to her chest and looking at the red, bubbling flesh._

" _Sorry, Sweetie, daddy didn't mean to hurt you, it was an, **accident.** " Her father said blandly as he left her on the floor of the kitchen._

Harley gasped as she remembered that, Oh how she hated that man, her father, oh how she hated weak little Harleen Quinzel. Harley reached up and wiped her eyes from the tears that fell. Her head shook slowly as she looked at her hand, at the small burn scar that never faded away, She hated remembering anything before the circus. She didn't understand why she had to think about that, or what would even bring on such memories. It had to have been those boys. Harley decided it was because of the boys. Nothing more, nothing less. It couldn't be because the circus's next stop was in Boston; where _sweet little Harleen Quinzel grew up._

Harley pursed her lips at that thought, her eyes beginning to well with tears. She looked down and ran a hand through her hair. She didn't ever want to go back there.

Meanwhile, Jerome had circled back to the park, he had to get rid of any evidenced before cops showed up. His mind was racing a million miles a minute. It had only been 15 minutes since he killed a man. He was torn between feeling that nagging guilt, or feeling enthralled and happy about what he had done. Jerome whistled to himself in a casual manner as he rode his bike down the trail. Chicago was a nasty place, nobody really came to this park, especially when the 'circus freaks' were in town. They were too scared that the circus would practice weird satanic rituals on innocent civilians. Jerome stopped the bike as he came to the scene. Paul Cicero was there.

Jerome looked at him wide eyed. His heart began pounding, he looked down at the bodies. Ralph was obviously still dead, but Jeff the boy he had left alive, was dead his skull bashed in.

"Jerome." Paul started, He looked in the direction of Jerome his blind eyes looking into the sky. "I was wondering when you'd show up." He said his walking stick hitting against the dirt path. Jerome narrowed his eyes, not understanding what was happening yet. All he knew was the other boy, Jeff, was now dead, blood on the end of Paul Cicero's cane.

"What?" Jerome questioned his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Mr. Cicero, I don't understand?" Jerome feigned innocence. "Did you-" he hissed when Paul swung his cane and hit him roughly in the leg.

"Don't play dumb, Jerome." He said, "I know you and Harley were out here. I had you followed." He said, and Jerome tilted his head. Paul would never admit it was because he thought Jerome was going to kill Harley Quinn. Murder and sick thoughts like that ran in his family's blood line, that's why he killed the other boy himself and he enjoyed it, he didn't want to see Jerome grow up to be like him, or his father before him, that's why he thought it best if Jerome didn't know he was his father. "The girl, does she know?"

Jerome stared at him in shock and confusion his lips open a gape. A sick feeling filling his chest. He didn't think Harley knew, She acted so calm. No she didn't know, he knew a screamer when he saw one. "No," He said and Cicero nodded. Jerome dropped the bike, some big men were heading their way with trash bags, men Jerome never saw before.

"Good, Now when my friends get here, you're going to put the bodies into the bag and we're going to dispose of the bodies." He muttered using his walking cane to guide his way back to through the trail. Jerome looked at the men that were coming and swallowed thickly.

"Why are you helping me?" Jerome called out looking back at Paul Cicero with a confused, almost fearful face.

"The circus sticks together, Jerome." Cicero didn't miss a beat when he answered his rehearsed answer. He had practiced because he knew this day was coming.

Jerome slowly looked down at the two dead boys, a slow dangerous smile grew onto his face. He snatched the large black hefty garbage back from the man roughly, thank god there was a few of those bags. Now Jerome felt safe about this situation. This was confirmation that was he did was okay. He laughed to himself as he crouched down and grabbed Ralph's head.

"I'm sorry, Jerome. I'm sorry Harley, I'll never hurt you again." His other hand gripped the dead boy's jaw and moved it up and down as if making the boy talk those words.

"Well," Jerome dropped the boys head and rolled his head on his shoulders, twitching slightly as he looked at Ralph's lifeless eyes. "I don't forgive you." He whispered and grinned as placed the bag over Ralph's head and covered his top half.

It only took a few minutes for Jerome and Paul Cicero's unnamed men to stick the bodies in trash bags, the men carrying the body -in broad daylight- to Paul Cicero's car. A driver sat up front another person he didn't know. Jerome was beginning to get suspicious of Mr. Cicero. Jerome figured asking questions wouldn't be wise. He didn't want to be the one in a body bag next.

"Get in, Jerome." Paul said from the back seat, Jerome watched as the men shoved the bodies into the trunk, he got into the back of the car with Paul Cicero. He looked at him cautiously. He looked the blind man up and down, from his nice shoes to his nice suit to his blind blue eyes that gazed off into nothingness and finally to his gray hair.

"W-where are we going?" Jerome asked, mentally cursing himself for letting a stutter make it's way into his voice. He heard the men close the trunk and watched through the window as the men started walking back towards the circus.

"We have to dump the bodies." Paul said as the car started driving off. Jerome pursed his lips, vaguely remembering this man telling him, that no one in this world cared about him, but here he was, helping him cover up a murder. This blind man that didn't help him when he was little, this man when on his eighth birthday told him he was nothing, was now helping him cover a murder? Jerome swallowed thickly and looked off, as the car was going onto a dirt road.

'This is it, Jerome. He's going to kill you. You have to fight back. Kill him first. He's blind, he won't even see me coming.' Jerome thought to himself with a smirk and then looked at Paul giving a smug look. He reached into his jacket pocket where there was a switchblade he'd use if he needed

* * *

Harley was walking around the circus holding cotton candy, a sweater on over her dress and a scarf on over her neck to hide the bruises from where the boy had hurt her. She didn't want people asking questions. She paid no mind to the bruise on her cheek. She dropped her book on her face. It was no big deal.

Harley watched as people were packing up and getting ready to hit the road for the long night of driving ahead. Harley didn't have to worry about packing anything. Her costume was in her trunk in her trailer, and John Grayson, her friend had been kind enough to hook her trailer up to a truck to be towed off. She didn't know how to drive. She didn't see the point in learning. She was just going to be in the circus for the rest of her life. That's what she wanted too, the circus had become her home. Harley took a seat at a bench and looked off some. She was trying to remember what made her run off to the circus. She didn't know why she was suddenly remembering things she had repressed for so long. Harley sighed as another memory was coming back to her.

 _Harleen sobbed as her father held her little sister under the bathtub water. "Daddy, please! Please! She didn't mean it!" Harleen cried out. She would have tried to stop him if he hadn't zip tied her wrist to the door handle._

 _Haylee Quinn let out screams under the water flailing as she tried to get out of her father's grasp. Haylee had picked up a bad word off the playground. 'Asshole.' she had called their father an 'Asshole', for throwing his beer bottle at Harleen. She didn't know what that word meant, but she said it like she meant it._

 _Harleen's father had never been so disrespected by his own children before. He was also drunk, very drunk. Had grabbed Haylee by the back of her dress and he had dragged her into the bathroom, Harleen running after him, begging him to let her sister go. Which ultimately caused Harleen to start trying to pull her sister away, and he wasn't having that. He grabbed his zip ties out of his pocket -which were always in there since he worked construction-_

 _Harleen sobbed openly as her father refused to let her sister up for air, her heart sinking and aching with fear and suspense, her tears streaming down her face. Her father wasn't answering, he sounded more animal than man as he growled and snarled as he held Haylee down under the water._

" _Harleen!" Her father crooned and looked back at her his face red and beads of sweat fell down his face "Let her be a prime example of what happens when you disrespect me as she has." Her father started laughing, Harleen had been staring at him in a horrified way. Harley felt herself pale as she released what her father done. She tore her eyes away from her father and her wide eyes widened even more if possibly when she noticed the fighting on her sister's end had ended. Harleen slowly stood up from sitting on her knees. There she was, the back of her sister's body floating on top of the water, strands of platinum blonde hair floating about._

Harley glared at the ground in front of her, a tear fell down her cheek at the memory. Her poor little sister. Her poor sister she had to help barry in the backyard under the apple tree. That had been the night she ran away to the circus. She had known it was in town. She had told them almost everything, From her mother killing herself, from the abuse. The only part she left out was the existence of her sister. That reason being because she blamed herself.

Harley shook her head, not understanding why she was having a walk down memory lane. Maybe it was because deep down, way deep down, Harley knew she saw Jerome kill Ralph. He killed that boy right infront of her. She had pretended like it was nothing, as though...as though he had merely knocked the boy out. She heard that snap though. She saw the boy's lifeless eyes and pretended like Jerome knocked him out against the tree like he tried to pretend he did.

Maybe, just maybe, Jerome was triggering her memories. Grabbing her face, her arm, murder..Ralph choking her playing a part.

John Grayson walked by and looked at Harley, "Hey, Harls...are you okay?" He asked slowly, Harley slowly looked up at him with a pale expression. She felt sick, she felt like she may have a breakdown. She let her face portray how she needed to look. Harley gave a thin lipped smile, bringing a shaky hand up and wiping her cheek of her tear.

"Just peachy.." She said in a soft quiet voice, she bit into her cotton candy, and watched John give a wary look, but otherwise dropped it and walked off to find Mary, the daughter of that wretched drunken clown.

* * *

Jerome looked down the cliff over the ocean, looking at the sharp rocks that lay below. This was where he was going to dump the bodies. The bodies he and Mr. Cicero murdered. He of course felt no remorse. Not even the slightest bit of guilt came over him. How could he feel such a thing, when no one felt guilt over his life. During the silent car ride Jerome decided he did like it, it was exhilarating. His first kill, and he couldn't decide if it would be his last.

"Are you ready?" Cicero asked. He stood by the car, his driver opening the trunk. Jerome looked away from the edge of the cliff and walked over to Paul. A small nervous smile coming onto his face as he walked over and peered into the trunk. He looked at Paul.

"Yeah...I want to do it." Jerome said and the corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk. Paul pursed his lips. He nodded looking ahead. Jerome grabbed on of the bags and through the bod over his shoulder. It was heavy but it was find. He knew this was on Ralph because this was the taller boy.

Jerome walked to the ledge and dropped the boy down in front of him slowly. He reached down and tore the bag off his head. He tilted his head and looked at his lifeless eyes. "They say the first is hard.." He whispered to the body, moving to a crouching position. He ran his fingers through the dead boys black hair. "But you, you…" Jerome rolled his head on his shoulders trying to think of the proper word. "Were just too easy a victim. I'm actually disappointed it was you." He said and slumped his shoulders. He didn't seem to realize he was actually talking to a dead body. "I don't know what else to say to you, Ralphy." He muttered. "But, if anyone like you...touches _my_ belongings again…" Jerome released a giggle as he realized he called Harley something that belonged to him. He liked that. "I'll kill them too.." He whispered. "And I'll make sure they die screaming.." With that he stood to full height and kicked Ralph's body off the ledge, looking over and watching as the body fell and plopped down into the water.

"Now Jeff I have no words for!" He exclaimed as he skipped back to the truck, and reaching down and picking him up and over his shoulder. "He was just a sheep, following Shepard Ralph." He said and giggled.

Cicero stared off with a deep frown and a disturbed look playing off on his features. Jerome...He just realized Jerome was...insane.

Jerome threw Jeff's body off the cliff making a whistling sound as it fell, and then flinching as his body hit a rock impaling itself on a sharp rock. Jerome smiled wide.

 **'** **Who else can I kill?...'** Were Jerome's final thoughts


End file.
